How ITRH is reworking occasionwear

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.In a market crowded with occasionwear labels, standing out can be difficult, especially for brands working with traditional textiles and embroidery techniques.But in five years, ITRH has established itself through its use of crafts such as kalamkari, chikankari, Madhubani and gota weaving, combining traditional techniques with contemporary silhouettes and a more maximal aesthetic. Its embellished jaal dupatta worn by actor Kareena Kapoor Khan last year, for instance, has become one of the label's most recognisable signatures. Earlier this year, ITRH, which now has a sub-brand ITRH Two that offers more modern pieces, made its international debut at the Dubai Fashion Week.

In an interview with Lounge, the brand's founders—celebrity stylist Mohit Rai and designer Ridhi Bansal—talk about creating a occasionwear brand in today's crowded market, dressing celebrities, and how important is Bollywood's presence in fashion shows. Edited excerpts: Ridhi: There’s a very easy rhythm between us. We don’t overexplain things, we just kind of get it.

We’re quite different though; he tends to think big and I’m a little more practical, but that balance helps. And having known each other for so long, we’ve just learnt to work with each other’s quirks.Mohit: Styling teaches you how to tell a story through a person. Running a brand teaches you how to build everything around that story.

One thing I’ve really learnt is that taste is important, but showing up consistently matters more. And also, just trusting your gut, that’s been key.The biggest change was going from putting looks together to actually creating a point of view. Styling gave me a lot in terms of access and instinct.